The Lucas County Land Bank thinks the reallocation of additional funding for a local church building fits within Toledo City Council’s recreational plan, but Toledo City Council isn’t ready to foot the bill quite yet.
St. Anthony Church on Nebraska Avenue has been empty since 2005, and in 2018 the Diocese of Toledo donated it to the land bank. Now, the land bank and Toledo’s Parks, Recreation, and Youth Services wants to turn the former church into a recreation center, but it’s going to take more money than they initially thought.
“I worry about putting all of this money into it, and we don’t have a tenant necessarily,” Councilman Theresa Morris said at a Parks, Education, Recreation & Health committee meeting on Monday.
The land bank previously asked the city for $400,000 to open a boxing gym at the property. Now, it’s asking for $910,099 to redevelop it as a multipurpose recreational facility, and the land bank is asking council to use the last remaining American Rescue Plan dollars on the project. ARP dollars have to be allocated by the end of the year and used up by 2026.
“I don’t think this project is that far of a departure from the goal of trying to establish a boxing gym,” said Joe Fausnaugh, director of Parks, Recreation, and Youth Services for Toledo. “We’re establishing a multi-purpose recreation area so boxing can happen, wrestling can happen there, dance could happen there, so it felt like it was appropriate to reallocate [the money] specifically to this purpose.”
The entire process is expected to take $6 million. The land bank has secured a $4 million grant from the federal government, $40,000 from the state, and about $100,000 from the Inflation Reduction Act. The county has “informally” promised to match what the city is willing to contribute, but council asked for the promise in writing.
Council previously passed a resolution that the remaining ARP dollars go toward community centers, but Mr. Fausnaugh said the additional funding will not come at any additional expense to other projects.
The problem for some city council members is how they will continue to fund the building after the initial investment. David Mann, the president of the land bank, said the city would become the owner of the building after the investment, and it would cost about $50,000 a year to operate, based on initial estimates.
Councilman Mac Driscoll said residents have the Fredrick Douglass Community Center to enjoy recreational activities at, but Mr. Fausnaugh said the center is not in close proximity to many residents in the Junction neighborhood, a neighborhood that Councilman Cerssandra McPherson lives in.
“You’re asking us to take money from programs, where that money could be used, to put into a building that you have no idea of how it’s going to be sustained,” Ms. McPherson said.
Mr. Fausnaugh said he doesn’t expect the recreational center to make a lot of money. It will not be staffed full time, but rather, community organizations can rent out and occupy the space to hold events.
“I don’t think this will be a money-maker, I don’t even think we’ll break even,” Mr. Fausnaugh said after the meeting. “The job of city government is to provide services to its residents. The city funds a lot of services that don’t make money, and I think the residents deserve this service.”
Others suggested that the remaining ARP funds go toward other projects around the city.
“The city of Toledo has more than enough senior centers, parks, community centers that we’re struggling right now to maintain, and you want us to take on another one at $900,000,” Ms. McPherson said.
About 10 people attended the meeting, three speaking in support of the project.
The matter will come before the whole council on Wednesday. Although it was recommended for first read, Councilman Vanice Williams, the chair of the Parks, Education, Recreation & Health committee, said she will talk with her colleagues to decide where they are at, possibly bringing the matter to a vote.
“I understand the apprehension from council,” Mr. Fausnaugh said after the meeting. “It’s a big project that will have long-term consequences on the city. There are a lot of unknowns with the project, and they want a business plan, but that’s really the next step in the process. We need to secure the funding first.”
First Published November 18, 2024, 10:51 p.m.
